Want To Buy: Cold weather sailing gear

[Adventuresail]

Hey all, I'm looking for some affordable, used cold/foul weather gear for an upcoming passage across the North Atlantic from North America to the Baltic.

If anyone has anything they are not using and would like to move onto a good home, please feel free to get in touch.

thank you!

Alex

[Badsanta]

What size are you looking for.

[chrisr]

our idea of cold weather sailing gear is a T-shirt, but that's probably not going to help is it ?...

cheers,

[parachute]

We wore a fleece top and trousers under wet weather gear, ours was Musto.

[Benz]

Check out your local boat consignment shops, if any. I picked up some good Musto kit from mine. Also, the non-fancy PVC raincoats they sell for commercial sailors are all I ever needed, and they're pretty reasonable.

[Orin]

I’ll check to see if we still have our spare rubber suits.

When sailing around the PNW in winter, my advise would be - no cotton, only wool or fleece all the way down to your undies, including the cuffs of the jackets. My bottom layer was something like under armor, then fleece/wool, then a coat of quick drying artificial down, and finally a gortex outer layer with excellent seam tape, cuff and waist seals and finally a fleece balaclava with my wool stocking cap over that. All my normal coats have always failed me. Even nicer ones when it came to 35 degree mist all day.

I don’t have any of the spare gortex stuff, just some old rubber suits....

Also I would sometimes have to change my socks like 7-10 times a day. Rotating the pairs next to the heater to keep them dry. I don’t know what your trip is going to look like.... but if I’ve got those it’ll just cost you shipping. No guarantee that my wife hasn’t chucked them.

[deblen]

https://www.hhworkwear.com/en_ca_ww/...shing-rainwear


https://mustangsurvival.ca/products/...pr_seq=uniform

[Adventuresail]

Thank you for all the replies! I really appreciate all the input.

Badsanta - I am usually a Medium

Chrisr - That’s my preference too but this passage is driven by love and not climate - gotta get back to my Fiancée in Poland since we have been separated by the pandemic restrictions and flying Isn’t an option. Looking forward to a tshirt being my cold weather gear in the future!

Parachute - thanks for the input, sounds like fleece is the way to go for affordable under layers.

Benz - thank you for the suggestion. Unfortunately for some reason my local consignment store seems to want to charge about the same as new prices for a lot of stuff. Unsurprisingly they don’t turn over a lot of gear.

Orin - Thanks so much for taking the time for that thoughtful input. I’ve got a wool sweater and some wool under layers that i really appreciated over the Chesapeake bay winter that can be a part of my layering system. Some more fleece and a wool cap are on my list.
The rubber suit sounds similar to what I am looking for - something that keeps you from getting drenched when working on the foredeck in rough weather. Ideally something that has seals at the wrists, ankles and neck.
The proposed passage is an approximate great circle route from the Chesapeake to the Baltic in late July/August - not freezing temperatures but definitely cold water.

Deblen - thank you for the links.
HH stuff tends to command premium prices that I cant currently afford and the Mustang stuff looks great, but still out of my budget to buy new.

Thank you everyone

[sv_pelagia]

We have these for winter sailing. Not cheap but very warm, keeps you dry AND legal (at least in Canada) flotation.

https://mustangsurvival.com/collecti...orksuit-ms2175

[Orin]

Let me get ahold of the wife, and I’ll try to post some pictures.
If you end up with something that doesn’t have seals, duct tape can get you thru. Hopefully it’s a fairly short trip.

They’re fairly adjustable. What’s your height though? I think I have 3 sets total and keeping my nice HH pair. I think one of the two pairs is pretty long. Anyway, I know they were on the axing block for not fitting my wife or I particularly well... so I have to make sure she hasn’t tossed them.

[Adventuresail]

Thanks Orin that’s really kind of you. It’s a fairly lengthy passage. 4000 miles from Norfolk VA to Gdańsk, Poland. I’m 5’6” so something particularly long may be out for me

[Orin]

Ah. Happen to be in Newport News on business, so we are only a few miles apart. When’s your trip, provided the weather is good enough?

[wingssail]

You are planning a trip across the North Atlantic and then through the Baltic.

This is a trip which can be rough and cold in any season.

If you are wet and cold it is not only terribly uncomfortable, but dangerous due to potential hypothermia and it will affect your ability and the will to do your work on the boat. All you will want to do is stay huddled up and shivering.

So make an investment in a set of foulies which will keep you dry and keep you warm with wool or fleece undergarments (the wool or fleece stuff can be used. We often check in used clothing shops such as GoodWill but be very careful of used foulweather gear; it often has lost the waterproofness and water will seep in and you will be miserable).

You don't need "Ocean" grade gear, a good set of West Marine Coastal bib pants and jacket with hood and fleece pockets and neck will do you wonders.

Don't forget boots, (big enough for extra thick socks).

There is little that is more important when doing a cold weather crossing than a good set of foulies. There is nothing that feels better than being warm and dry when the weather is nasty.

[Tomodore]

This will not be a popular answer for many but before cruising on a boat we cruised by motorcycle. When we sold the bikes and bought a sloop with no did get in the PNW I put in a 12 volt outlet in the cockpit for my electric vest. Downside is mobility, although with coiled cord I could get around cockpit. Plus is shoulders and neck relaxing with warmth generated warm hands and feet since core is toasty and less bulky layers to restrict mobility. Being warm can make the difference between enduring a watch and enjoying a watch. Not a perfect fit for every case or condition but it worked for me.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by Tomodore

This will not be a popular answer for many but before cruising on a boat we cruised by motorcycle. When we sold the bikes and bought a sloop with no did get in the PNW I put in a 12 volt outlet in the cockpit for my electric vest. Downside is mobility, although with coiled cord I could get around cockpit. Plus is shoulders and neck relaxing with warmth generated warm hands and feet since core is toasty and less bulky layers to restrict mobility. Being warm can make the difference between enduring a watch and enjoying a watch. Not a perfect fit for every case or condition but it worked for me.

That is an interesting idea for heat, though I wonder how well it works when being splashed by rain or sea spray.

How much electricity did it take (amps)?

Could you use it while sailing or only while motoring?